Nowhere To Run
by Demon Vampyre Goddess
Summary: When the wars are over, what's a Perfect Soldier to do? Heero's fallen into a downward spiral and is about to go over the edge when an ex-pilot emerges from his past out of thin air...(1x2x1) *Final chapter up*
1. PreStory Fun or 'A Jealous Wufei'

Pre-Story Fun (or 'A Jealous Wufei')  
  
DVG: Hai! Well, I did say I was gonna be coming back real soon with a new story and here it is! I'm thinkin' of some nice little 1x2x1 action in this-  
  
Wufei: ONNA! This is immoral! Injustice! You just Duo with me, now you're going to take him and throw him with Suicide Boy?! [1]  
  
DVG: Geez, Wufei. You make me sound like I'm turning Duo into a ho.  
  
Duo: *Chibi-Eyed Pout* You didn't Wuffie?  
  
DVG: *giggles insanely as Wufei splutters*  
  
W: Don't you feel like this is an injustice, Duo?  
  
D: ...not really...either way, I'm paired with a sexy guy. *Victory sign*  
  
DVG: Buwaha! See! He agrees with me! *grins*  
  
W: *smiles smugly* Wait until Heero hears about this.  
  
DVG: *smiles just as smugly back* You forget- I'm the author.  
  
W: *cute little whimper* But- but- it's not fair!  
  
DVG: It's entirely fair. At least to me and Duo it is.  
  
Heero: ...  
  
DVG: See, there we go, even Heero likes the idea 'cause he didn't threaten to kill me.  
  
W: But you're the author! *splutters indignantly* ONNA!  
  
DVG: Keep this up and my next fic will -not- be so nice, Wufei. *Author Death Glare*  
  
D: Heh...I warned you Fei, just remember last time. Don't want another 'Sleepless Musings', do you? [1]  
  
W: *nosebleed* *runs off to find some tissues*  
  
DVG: Buwaha, no one can beat the author! *Victory sign*  
  
D: I can!  
  
DVG: And just how can -you- beat the author, measly Gundam pilot?!  
  
D: *Chibi-Eyed Pout* You know you luff meh! I'm too adorable to resist!  
  
DVG: Awww...*snuggle* Damn you! You know the weakness! Evil...  
  
D: Heh...Too true...Just ask Heero and Wufei...*Cheshire cat grin*  
  
___________________________________________________________________  
  
End of Pre-Story Fun (And Wufei is still jealous, just now jealous with a nosebleed.)  
  
[1]For those who haven't read my first fic 'Of Blood and Tears', it's in reference to that where I paired Duo with Wufei. ^^ So is 'Sleepless Musings', I wrote it to poke fun while writing the last chapter to 'Of Blood And Tears'.  
  
Now click! Click to the first chapter and be amazed! Buwaha! You know you wanna...*click* 


	2. Chapter 1

Well, now that I got that Pre-Story Fun out of my system...Time for the story!  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing remotely Gundam Wing related except for this fic, my other fic, and the various Gundam models decorating my dresser top next to my Sailor Moon alarm clock, the crapload of half used candles that are currently burning and making my room smell nice, and other assorted oddball objects. ^^  
  
Warning: Heavy drinking, profanity, impending yaoi (1x2x1), and lots and lots of angst. Of course, this is -me- writing this. Buwaha, I'm evil. Beware of my 'Sleepless Musings' too while we're doing warnings...One of those is sure to pop in between one of these chapters...  
  
I think that's everything, so now...TO THE BAT CAVE ROBIN!  
  
*cough* *ahem* I mean- On with the story!  
  
  
  
  
  
Nowhere To Run  
  
_________________________________________________________________ ______________  
  
***  
  
"Give me another."  
  
The bartender looked at the Japanese boy apprehensively, he had only been at the bar for an hour, this must have been his twentieth drink and he wasn't showing any sign of being plastered. Then he was hit with an all out Death Glare, though a bit unfocused, it still packed its same unnerving potency that made OZ officers afraid.  
  
"Your funeral buddy," the bartender shook his head and slid down another glass.  
  
After Mariemaia and Dekim Barton's brief attempt at starting another war against the UESA, Heero had stayed as a bodyguard for Relena for only a month before suddenly disappearing from existence. He didn't know what to do anymore, he wasn't needed to kill or fight, there were no more wars to win. Heero felt like a hindrance to Relena's hard earned peace, despite the fact Wing Zero was gone along with the other Gundams, he was just a discarded soldier who knew nothing but the battlefield. That was how he found himself in the darkest parts of L1, his tracks meticulously covered of course, it was natural instincts to not want to be discovered, in a crappy hellhole trying to pass as an apartment. Heero had been introduced to the pain-alleviating alcohol.  
  
That was three years ago though, and his routine ever since had been to sit in his same stool in the bar around the corner from his 'apartment' and shoot back drink after drink until he didn't think he could take anymore. Then he would stagger home, sleep it off, and find himself right back in the bar again.  
  
The bartender didn't care he was serving an eighteen year old, just as long as he was paid, which he was. Throughout the entire time Heero had been coming, the bartender knew nothing about him; he was the most silent customer he ever had. It didn't help that he glared off or threatened to kill anyone who dared try to approach him. The bartender watched as the Japanese boy nearly inhaled his drink, but before he could ask for another, the door opened up with a bang and a group of loudly talking, rowdy young guys in dirty black overalls came in.  
  
"The Sweepers back in the area again? I thought you were just here a few months ago!" he asked conversationally, thankful to get away Heero's end of the bar.  
  
One of the shorter ones jumped up on the barstool in front of him as the others filtered around to different seats, a long braid flickered behind. "Yeah we were, but we got called back to pick up those busted freight ships, if we can't fix 'em then we gotta take 'em with us to base and sell parts," he answered indifferently.  
  
Heero's cobalt eyes went wide; he could recognize that cheerful voice anywhere. He slouched down a bit and looked across the counter, the big grin on the Sweeper's face only cementing it.  
  
It was Duo.  
  
Damn. It was definitely not what he needed. All the alcohol seemed to suddenly rush to his head and he felt dizzy.  
  
"So, a buddy of mine recommended this place to us, is it really as good as he claims it is?" Duo asked, only playing around.  
  
"Everyone in here's a regular," the bartender chuckled. "The guy at the end there, he's been coming for the past three years, if you need any more reassuring."  
  
Heero hastily turned his back to them, propping his elbows on the counter to keep himself steady.  
  
-Definitely- not his night.  
  
Duo's expression went quite serious as he glanced over at him. "Three years, huh?" There was something oddly familiar about 'the guy', but his couldn't quite place it, he kind of looked like someone he might have know on L2. Duo had gone back there to see the orphans that had been adopted before Maxwell Church Tragedy after the Mariemaia incident before rejoining the Sweepers with Howard. He thought Solo would have been proud at how many he had managed to save after he died.  
  
"Yep," he nodded. "Quiet one though. Doesn't let anyone talk to him, threatens them in Japanese or something like that."  
  
Duo's heart stopped. 'Heero?'  
  
***  
  
It couldn't be him. So why would he be plainly showing himself in a bar?  
  
He obviously hadn't wanted anything to do with the ex-pilots or Relena by the way he just vanished without a word. Duo painfully remembered when Relena had come to Quatre while he had been visiting one day, simpering about having not seen Heero in a good few days. He may respect her as a politician, but when she got all soppy, her voice took on a horrible nails-on-chalkboard tone. At first they wrote it off, but a good few days turned into a month, and a month turned into six, and six turned to a year. Duo had tried his hardest to search, with Wufei preoccupied with the Preventers and Trowa helping Quatre with running the Winner enterprise, he was the only one not busy enough to be able to look while colony-Earth hopping with the Sweeper group and Howard.  
  
He had given up when the two-year mark hit and went on with his life.  
  
So it couldn't be him, not after Duo had long bowed to the inevitable, the Perfect Soldier couldn't have become so careless.  
  
Could he?  
  
***  
  
As Heero listened to the bartender talking to Duo about him, he almost felt compelled to go and reveal himself. But then Duo laughed it off and ordered a round of tequila shooters for him and the rest of the Sweepers, returning the topic to the freight ships and obviously not wishing to chat about nameless bar-goers that entirely fit the description of his missing partner.  
  
That quelled Heero's urge. There had been a sad tinge to the braided boy's laughter and he felt as if showing himself after three years would only hurt more. It was best just to stay hidden.  
  
Only when Duo went to rejoin the overall-clad group did he turn around to get a better view. He didn't appear to have grown all too much since the last time Heero had seen him, but his hair had, he couldn't remember seeing his plait so long. He seemed a lot more matured; more subdued compared to the wild, spontaneous Shinigami from the wars.  
  
Heero realized he had been staring when one of the Sweepers pointed over at him, he hung his head down and tossed some money on the counter, sliding off the barstool and leaving.  
  
By the time Duo had craned his neck to look back at the 'weirdo' his friend was indicating, he was gone.  
  
"Coulda sworn he was starin' at you Maxwell," he shrugged. Someone loudly proposed a drinking contest and Heero had been forgotten as Duo automatically volunteered to be the first challenger.  
  
*** 


	3. Chapter 2

Yaay! Shella! A reviewer from my last story! I feel so loved! I'm so glad you're liking this so far (cause you're not gonna like me after this chapter I can tell ya that). Thanks you all for reviewing!  
  
*hides* dun kill me! I'm getting ready to live up to my Queen of Cliffhangers title!  
  
Warning: Alcohol, drunkenness, angst, violence...You all know the drill. Evil Cliffhanger...  
  
Oh yeah, and I don't own anything related to GW. So don't sue, cause I spent all my money on Gundam models and manga. ^^ So I'm broke!  
  
  
  
***  
  
The next night, everything from the previous evening was extremely hazy and Heero had managed to reassure himself that Duo had just been an illusion. He had to have been.  
  
But then, the shipyard -was- just two blocks down from the bar and there -was- a couple of freight ships broken, Heero had heard of their collision a few days ago because of misinterpreted transmissions.  
  
Though he had still managed to convince himself that it -hadn't- been Duo. Until he returned the next night and found that same group of Sweepers had come back too, the braided boy at their head, talking animatedly and not showing any signs of having downed over twenty shots of tequila in the drinking contest the night before. Heero immediately began to retreat out of the door, but the bartender spotted him and puled out a glass.  
  
"The usual, Silent Guy?"  
  
"I have a nick name now?" Heero chose the seat furthest out of sight from the rest of the bar.  
  
"Yeah, the kid over there suggested it, said my description of you matches a guy he knew a while ago," he continued, wary at the fact that the Japanese boy was actually holding a conversation with him and not scowling. When not drunk, he was really quite scary.  
  
Heero went quiet, his expression characteristically stoic.  
  
That was the bartender's cue to hurry away, saved by the Sweepers, who were calling for rounds of Jack Daniel's this time. Heero sat lost in thought for a while, occasionally getting his glass refilled by the bartender, until he was roughly brought back to reality by someone tapping on his shoulder. It was the guy that had pointed him out the night before prior to his swift exit.  
  
"Hey, drink with me? They're bettin' I can't beat Maxwell's twenty-five."  
  
Heero looked slightly amused. "I've already had a few though, it would be unfair."  
  
"C'mon, please? It's my mission tonight to beat twenty-five!"  
  
His ears perked at the word 'mission' and his expression hardened. "Anything for a mission." The guy was taken aback at the abrupt change. "But no one can see me."  
  
"Whatever..." He called the bartender over and orders shots of tequila.  
  
One. Two. Three. Four.  
  
A couple of Sweepers filtered over to watch, Heero ignored them, as long as it wasn't the one he was hiding from.  
  
Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine.  
  
More Sweepers had joined the gathering crowd.  
  
Ten. Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen.  
  
The only ones who hadn't come were Duo and few others, sure that the guy wasn't going to make it.  
  
Sixteen. Seventeen. Eighteen. Nineteen. Twenty. Twenty-one.  
  
Heero's challenger was clearly plastered, yet he remained calmly upright and still ordered for more shots. The crowd was beginning to root for 'the Japanese Kamikaze'.  
  
Twenty-two.  
  
His challenger passed out cold, dropping from the stool to the floor like a rock. Bets were on that 'the Japanese Kamikaze' was going to beat Duo.  
  
Twenty-three. Twenty-four. Twenty-five.  
  
A tie. Then-  
  
Twenty-six. Twenty-seven. Twenty-eight. Twenty-nine. Thirty.  
  
Heero was finally feeling slightly off balance and all his thoughts of trying to hide were gone as he offered to heightened the tally more. That was until, Duo's voice raised over the laughs from behind the large crowd.  
  
"Alright- I've gotta meet the guy who beat -me-, move over!"  
  
Dazedly, Heero thought 'Run now, before he can get up here.' But it was too late.  
  
He had been spotted.  
  
Bright amethyst eyes went wide in shock and the huge grin faltered and died, all color draining from the American's face.  
  
"Heero..."  
  
***  
  
"You know him?" The challenger, who had woken up just as Duo broke out of the crowd, slurred.  
  
If possible, the Japanese boy was paler than he was and looked as if he were ready to run, all tensed and poised to spring right over everyone's heads to get away.  
  
And positively mortified as the blank mask began to fall.  
  
"D- Duo, I-"  
  
Shock burned into a rage Duo didn't know he was capable of feeling. 'All this time...'  
  
"Get away from me," he said dangerously to the Sweepers around him, who instantly complied as the short braided boy towered in anger. Duo couldn't form any words, he just shook.  
  
Heero's eyes suddenly glazed and he stumbled from the barstool. Losing all furious pretense, Duo reflexively reached out and scooped the thin ex-pilot up, holding him up with an arm slung around his shoulders, which was kind of difficult owing to the fact that he was a good few inches taller in spite of his light weight. Without any indication of a 'see you later' to the others, he helped Heero outside into the cool night air where he seemed to come more to his senses.  
  
"Where are you staying?" Duo asked brusquely.  
  
"A- around the corner, first floor of the apartment complex."  
  
At first he was going to ask 'What apartment building?' but from the sign nailed into the peeling pallid blue grout of the extremely dilapidated three-story building at the end of the block answered the unsaid question. Elite Apartments. Duo couldn't decide whether to laugh at the contradictory sign or be scared that the place might collapse on them at any given moment.  
  
"Which one is it?"  
  
"01." Duo glanced uneasily at Heero, who didn't appear to notice in the least as he opened the door, having been left unlocked, to the really crappy hellhole trying to pass as an apartment. He thought of all the times he had complained about his choices of safe houses and now thought they were luxurious compared to his 'apartment' as Heero dropped onto the moldy, moth-ridden couch.  
  
"Water?" Duo said hesitantly, his anger starting to be replaced by sympathy.  
  
"Aa, onegai."  
  
But not enough so that he wouldn't be chewing Heero's ass out when he returned with water. Duo stood over him menacingly when he came out of the tiny kitchen, he was too afraid to sit on anything for fear of it breaking under him.  
  
"So how long were you planning on avoiding us, Heero? Do you know how worried the other and I were?! When you disappeared, I worked my ass off trying to find you, even when I knew you'd probably covered any traces! I was lookin' for you for ages! And just when I began to lose hope, up pops Mr. Perfect Soldier in a fucking -bar-, of all places! Do you know how much it hurt to see Quatre's face every time I came up with nothing?! Do you?!"  
  
Heero winced, but his blurry gaze that turned to the mottled carpet was cold. "I wasn't planning on ever being found." He chose to ignore the stinging questions about how upset the others were and Quatre's reaction. Which didn't calm Duo in the slightest.  
  
"OH- well I'm glad we meant so much to you, after all the shit we went through together I'd at least think you'd have a little bit of respect or something, but nooo, damn Mr. Almighty Perfect Soldier -still- insists on being alone! The wars are fucking over, or hasn't that made its way into your thick skull by now?!" he exploded furiously.  
  
"I know they're over." Heero snapped, his patience worn thin. "I KNOW THEY'RE OVER! Why do you think I ran Duo?!" His head was throbbing like mad and all he wanted to do then was take some aspirin and go to bed, but he couldn't. Duo look taken aback by the vehement reply.  
  
"I was made to kill. To fight to the death. When the wars were over, I didn't know what to do with myself! I tried, I tried so hard, Duo, but I just couldn't do it! I am a soldier and there's no room for soldiers now, not with this peace that we fought so hard to attain! I am left with -nothing-." Heero glared dangerously up at the stunned braided boy, biting out the words that had rankled in his mind night and day since he 'vanished' like bullets to the heart. "Have you ever felt that emptiness, the calling to fight when there's no one there to fight with? The urge to go out into a battle that doesn't exist? When it dawns upon you that there's -nothing-, you feel like -nothing-."  
  
Duo let out a sigh, slowly nodding in understanding. "I can't deny that we all haven't had moments like that," he reached out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder but Heero knocked it away violently.  
  
"Don't touch me." He growled, his head pounding worse. That was all he needed to top the day off, compassion.  
  
"Heero-" Duo began soothing, but he clearly wasn't going to listen to anything more he had to say.  
  
"Just leave me alone. You never saw me."  
  
"Heero-"  
  
"I said leave me the hell alone!" he snarled. Duo's expression crumpled slightly, he was usually the only one who could get through to the Japanese ex-pilot, but it seemed like he was getting nowhere. Nonetheless, he backed up against the wall opposite of the couch.  
  
"Please, just let me help you-"  
  
"Omae wo kuruso!" Heero flew unsteadily to his feet, a gun in hand procured from God knows where. "I swear-"  
  
"You wouldn't..." Duo said faintly, blanching. "W- we're friends- "  
  
Bang.  
  
He fell to the floor.  
  
***  
  
  
  
EEP! *hides* Dun kill meh! But please review! ^.~ 


	4. Chapter 3

X.X;;;; Please dun throttle the author! I can't finish my story if I'm dead! But I'm glad for so much- er...enthusiasm...from the readers...*sweatdrop* Please dun kill meh.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to GW, so please don't sue, I have no money to give.  
  
Warning: Angst...lots of this...violence, language, insinuations of suicide...angst, wait I said that already...Oh! And OOCness, well no duh, ne? Kinda been OOC since the beginning...  
  
  
  
***  
  
There was a splintered hole in the wall precisely where Duo's head used to be. At the sound of the trigger release, he had tensed. Then at the actual gunshot, he automatically dropped to the carpet and just barely missed meeting his maker by a hair's breadth. Thank God he still had his great reflexes.  
  
But Duo was utterly thunderstruck at the fact that Heero had -really- tried to go through with his threat. That was the lowest he could have possibly gone, and he went there.  
  
Heero's gun clattered to the floor and he sank to his knees, his head bowed down in silent shame. He didn't mean to pull the trigger, he just did. He had been only attempting to scare Duo into leaving.  
  
But he went too far.  
  
Duo got up with a ragged breath; his throat was constricted too tightly for him to speak. His eyes said everything. There couldn't have been a crueler punishment than for Heero to see the torment and the anguish in his tear-brimmed violet eyes.  
  
The look of someone betrayed by his best friend.  
  
Duo stood there in hopes of Heero maybe saying -something-, even if it wasn't an apology. Just something. Like nothing had happened. But there was only an intensely overwhelmed silence. He numbly fled from the apartment, his mind full of buzzing disbelief as he stumbled along on the pavement back to the place where he and the other Sweepers were staying, not bothering to check to see if they were still in the bar.  
  
Heero had gotten his wish. Duo left.  
  
And he regretted everything, from the second Duo had laid sight on him. He knew she should have stayed hidden, and this was the reason why.  
  
***  
  
Heero didn't know how he had gotten there, or how long he had been there, but the next time he came to his senses, he was sitting under a frigid jet of shower water, still fully clothed and his head reeling. All he knew was that he felt disgusted with himself for the way he had treated Duo, who was only trying to help.  
  
Heero pulled his knees up tighter beneath his chin, the smallest tremor was allowed to run down his spine, that was all, but everything really did feel nice and cold. If he sat there long enough, the freezing water could seize up all his muscles and hypothermia would kick in. Then-  
  
A clean, bloodless death.  
  
Always so damn calculating, right to the very last little detail.  
  
Though...when was tap water salty? Heero's eyes burned, warmth flowing down his cheeks, mingling with the water that soaked through his clothes, chilling him to the bone.  
  
What was this pain in his chest? He swallowed hard, but the large knot in his throat wouldn't loosen. There was no knife thrust between his ribs into his heart, so why did it hurt so much?  
  
Heero shut his eyes, sending a fresh wave of warmth down the sides of his face. He couldn't recall anything in his training that dealt with this. No matter how hard he ranked his brain, there was nothing.  
  
There was only one other plausible explanation for this -thing-; it just couldn't be though. It went against everything he had been taught.  
  
True soldiers didn't cry, but with the image of Duo's devastated expression permanently fixed in his retina in consuming guilt, it was all he could do despite the fact that his instincts were telling him otherwise.  
  
Heero struggled to his feet, stiff muscles screaming in protest, shaking hands fumbling around along the wall for the towel rack.  
  
He knew what he had to do for some closure, even if it meant bringing himself down in the process.  
  
***  
  
Duo sat cross-legged on his bed, deep in thought as his fingers absently tangled and untangled the end of his braid, repeating the last few minutes in the apartment over and over again in his mind.  
  
'Omae wo kuruso! I swear-'  
  
'You wouldn't...W-we're friends-'  
  
Bang.  
  
He contemplated about sending Quatre and the other ex Gundam pilots a message about finally finding Heero, but that would mean having them wanting details and he was terrible at 'bending the truth' to suit the circumstances. It also meant having Relena come barreling onto L1 and Duo was sure she would be appalled at what had become of her 'missing' bodyguard.  
  
So he didn't.  
  
Though, the American was still in a considerable amount of shock about the situation in the whole. Heero was the last person he thought would have gone over the edge. They all had had a rough time adjusting to a world of peace, but Quatre had a business empire to run as the Winner heir so he already had a good footing into leading a peaceful life. Trowa just went to help him, he never really spoke to anyone but Quatre, so it wasn't al too surprising, and together they made frequent trips to visit Catherine and the circus. All of Wufei's demons had gone with Altron when he self-detonated it with the other Gundams and he was content in working with Sally and the Preventers. They had moments, though, where they felt the impulse to go hop into their Gundam and fight before remembering that the wars were over, but all they had to do was get in touch with one another and there was always support.  
  
But Heero in bars, drowning his bottled up insecurities in alcohol...That was a wee bit astounding.  
  
And Duo just didn't want to acknowledge the reality of his best friend actually trying to kill him.  
  
There was just no word ever created by mankind that could describe the level of incredulity he felt in what happened. He wasn't angry anymore, no the anger had dissolved the second Heero had blown up at him after he had ranted about the wars being over. Depressed, yes. Extremely. He wished he could strangle Doctor J for whatever idea he had implanted in Heero's mind that made him think he always had to be the Perfect Soldier. Whatever makes him think that he can't open up to anyone and let them help him. Something to make that off switch to his emotions turn on.  
  
-Anything-.  
  
The door to the room opened and Howard in all his glory, sunglasses, obnoxious Hawaiian shirt and all, came in, breaking Duo's train of thought.  
  
"What's up kid? You're lookin' like you're best friend died or something." He asked amusedly.  
  
"In a way, I think he did..."  
  
Sensing the braided boy's seriousness, Howard was somber. "If I've told you once, I must've told you a hundred times, we'll come across Heero eventually. He can't-"  
  
"But I did, Howard." Duo said quietly, dropping the end of the frayed tipped plait. "He's here."  
  
"What?" he asked, startled.  
  
"He's here," he repeated. "I saw him earlier tonight. But...he wasn't the Heero I had known before." Duo finished lamely, clearing not wanting to pursue the topic further.  
  
Howard raised his eyebrows. "Are you gonna tell the guys?"  
  
"I- I dunno." Duo couldn't bring himself to meet Howard's quizzical gaze.  
  
"Huh. Well at least you know he hasn't gone and killed himself or anything and really became Suicide Boy."  
  
Duo suddenly got a very alarmed look on his face and hastily scrambled past Howard out of the room and into the cold night.  
  
***  
  
*hides* Don't kill me! ^^;;; It gets...erm...better...in a way...*sweatdrop* 


	5. Sleepless Musings 2 Remember, I warned y...

Sleepless Musings Part Two  
  
***  
  
Yep, yours truly had another great inspiration for fun during another good few days of no sleep. *sigh* This is only for pure entertainment, the next chapter is well on its way. It's all sleep deprivation, so don't worry, that's a thing that can be easily cured. *nod nod*  
  
***  
  
DVG: Well, this has certainly been an interesting story so far, ne guys?  
  
Heero: No. You made me cry. That's just -wrong-. *Death Glare*  
  
Duo: *groans* Don't start sounding like Wufei...  
  
H: But it WAS wrong!  
  
D: Yeah, well, you weren't the guy gettin' shot at, were you? Huh? Yeah, that's what I thought.  
  
H: Don't get pissed off at me! It's all -her- fault! *points to the author*  
  
Wufei (nosebleed free): See! Someone finally agrees with me for once! So- nyah! *stick tongue out*  
  
D: *muttering* ...you all can be such children sometimes...*sigh*  
  
H: You're not one to talk, Duo.  
  
DVG: *snorts* -I've- got all the reviewers on -my- side. So- NYAH! *thwaps Wufei and Heero over the head with an enormous white paper fan* And be nice to my Duo-channerz, or this 'Sleepless Musings' could get ugly.  
  
D: *evil grin*  
  
W: *cute, indignant spluttering* Injustice! First you take Duo away and decide to put him with Suicide Boy and now you're THREATENING us?!  
  
H: God damn it! You try to self-destruct your Gundam with you still inside it -once-...or twice...and you're automatically labeled 'Suicide Boy'!  
  
D: *clears throat significantly* You forgot to mention that time you jumped from the hospital window without a parachute or -anything- and broke your leg and I had to watch as you set it...*shudder* Not to mention the countless number of hazardous mobile suit battles- though we're all guilty of that-...The insanity when you're under the influence of the Zero system-  
  
H: We get the point. *glares* Like you haven't done anything suicidal.  
  
D: Aw, c'mon Heero, dun be such a spoilsport. Just because you were wrong-  
  
H: Who said I was wrong?  
  
D: Er- Just because you stretched the truth a tad too much-  
  
H: 'Stretched the truth a tad too much'?  
  
W: Give it up, Yuy. Duo's only going to twist it to his advantage...  
  
D: Hey now! I resent that remark! *Chibi-Eyed Pout*  
  
DVG: *thwaps them all over the head with her enormous white paper fan* Cease and desist! You're tempting me far too much. *a maniacal grin spreads across her face*  
  
H: *is scared*  
  
W: *grumbling* I still think this is an injustice...  
  
D: Duncha worry, Fei-chan, I'm sure Heero wouldn't mind you joining us if we ever get through the author's melodramatic angsty torture in 'Nowhere To Run'. *wink wink nudge nudge* 1x2x5 anyone?  
  
W & H: O.O!!!! *nosebleeds the capacity of Niagara Falls* O,O!!! *the two Asian Gundam pilots run off in search of tissues*  
  
D: *cackles* Ahahahahahahahahaha! *falls over in fits of laughter*  
  
DVG: *innocent smile that fools no one* Well, I -did- warn them, now didn't I?  
  
^^  
  
***  
  
End 'Sleepless Musings' 


	6. Chapter 4

^^ So many nice reviewers! I feel so loved! Thanks you guys for so faithfully reviewing to meh little fic here! Your comments have fed my overly large-sized ego and have inspired me to write the next chapter and get it up sooner than I thought I would. ^^ Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to GW. Wish I did. But don't. I have no money, so please don't sue.  
  
Warning!!: Angst, Angst, Angst, and more Angst! (*sigh* I got choked up just writing the end of this chapter) Oh yeah, and the general...Language, drunkenness (not Heero though), and more over...Angst! And if you thought I was really tweaking the emotions throughout this story, be prepared to have a lot more heartstrings wretched...Beginnings of the 1x2x1 relationship (Finally, ne?)...  
  
The chapter's a bit of a song fic too, but oh well...On with the show!  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
Heero jogged up to the barracks on the shipyard, only presuming that that was where the Sweepers were staying considering they were there for the broken cargo crafts. His assumption was confirmed as he approached a bunch of guys in black overalls hanging around outside, having their own little booze party. He ran a hand back through his still damp unruly hair and forced his voice to remain monotonous as he addressed the nearest Sweeper.  
  
"Is Duo Maxwell here?"  
  
"Nah, he left a coupla minutes ago lookin' kinda scared," the guy jabbed a thumb in the direction Heero had just come from, obviously -very- intoxicated. "Said somethin' 'bout someone tryin' to kill 'imself..."  
  
Heero only replied with a flat "Hn." Though inwardly he was wondering of how Duo could have possibly known about his intentions of letting himself slip into death by the ways of freezing water and hypothermia. At that thought, he shivered slightly. With a curt nod to the drunken Sweeper as a thank you, Heero turned and began to retrace his steps to search for the braided Shinigami.  
  
***  
  
Duo burst into the neglected 'Elite' Apartments complex at full speed and started banging his fists on the shabby door to number 1, what used to be creamy white paint chips falling like fake snow with every blow. "Heero?! Heero! C'mon open the damn door!" he yelled gaspingly, a stitch tearing up his side as he tried to catch his breath.  
  
'Please don't've done anything stupid...' he added anxiously in thought.  
  
No answer.  
  
Waiting a minute or two more, Duo remembered that the door was unlocked when he brought Heero home and tried the doorknob. Still unlocked. He slipped inside and came into the living room, the scenery unchanged.  
  
The hole in the wall only ground in the harsh truth that what occurred a couple of hours ago wasn't a dream and Duo was surprised to see Heero's gun still on the threadbare carpet in front of the moth-eaten couch where it had been dropped in shock. He bent down and picked the gun up, effortlessly knocking out the cartridge onto the palm of his hand. Only one bullet used, so at least he knew Heero wasn't lying around the apartment somewhere with a gaping, bleeding gunshot wound. It wasn't very heartening though.  
  
Clicking the cartridge back into place, Duo hesitantly placed the gun in its spot on the floor and moved on into the kitchen. Nothing. He continued on to the bedroom, biting his bottom lip; there was a pile of soaking wet clothes at the foot of the bed and a damp towel, it looked, and felt, like Heero had attempted to swim in an ice lake. But the body that had been in the freezing wet clothes wasn't anywhere to be seen.  
  
'Damn it.'  
  
Well, at least Duo knew that he was out and about some place and not what he had feared.  
  
Though now he didn't have the slightest clue where else the Japanese boy could be, he highly doubted that he would go back to the bar, but since he didn't have any other clues, Duo left without a trace and started out on the sidewalk once more.  
  
***  
  
Heero jogged down the street as carefully as he could, every jarring step sent renewed throbbing pains to split his hungover head because in his pensive, post-suicidal haste, he had forgotten to take some aspirin. It didn't matter though, as long as he didn't dwell too much on it, he could ignore the pounding hangover, besides there was a more important thing occupying his focus.  
  
And that more important thing occupying his focus came skidding around the corner at the end of the block and running in full acceleration right in Heero's direction.  
  
Duo slowed as he saw an approaching figure and stopped within the beams of light streaming murkily from the bar's large front window, a sense of irrepressible anticipation fluttering in the pit of his stomach like a million butterflies.  
  
Heero looked worse than he actually was with the hazy, smoke filtered light darkening the redness in his bloodshot eyes, which definitely wasn't from the hangover that was for sure, and making pale skin appear much more ashen, but either way, he still looked like he was feeling pretty shitty.  
  
Which he obviously was, all things considered.  
  
Heero couldn't seem to get his voice to work properly at the sight of Duo standing there awkwardly before him, apparently having the same speaking difficulties.  
  
The lump in his throat had painfully returned along with a fresh bout of shameful guilt.  
  
"D- Duo-" He turned his gaze away, struggling to stop the prickling in the corners of his eyes, knowing what was coming next. "- G- gomen nasai...I am so sorry- I didn't mean to-" Not able to get control, hot tears started to stream down his face.  
  
If Duo was in indescribable shock before, it was nothing to compared to what he felt then, seeing the 'Perfect Soldier' break down right in front of him. He suddenly found himself moving towards the crying Japanese ex-pilot and taking his face in his hands, brushing the tears away. It all seemed like he was watching the scene from outside himself, like a beholder happening upon them by accident.  
  
//There must be something you can recommend, I've lost my faith in man again//  
  
//So sick of trying to pretend, same pain over and over again//  
  
//How much longer do you think we'll stand, so little left here to live for//  
  
//By the time my life is at its end, I'll want it back one more time//  
  
Duo's touch was enough to reassure Heero that he was well forgiven for the mistakes he made, but it only helped ease open the long shut torrents of pent up pain and suffering that had been building since the day he 'disappeared'.  
  
//Let me try one more time//  
  
//To live my life one more time//  
  
//We never seem ready for this//  
  
//It keeps on, keeps on//  
  
//It keeps on haunting me day after day, am I going about things the right way?//  
  
//Which truths to pass and with which truths to say//  
  
//It's all so hard, I'm just so damn afraid//  
  
//Had about as much as I can take, so little left here to live for//  
  
Duo held Heero close, whispering soft "Just let it all out"s as he cradled the taller boy's head on his shoulder, soothingly running his fingers through his unruly dark brown hair. Heero's stoic resolve melted.  
  
//By the time my life is at its end, I'll want it back//  
  
//One more time//  
  
//I need the chance to live my life one more time//  
  
//One more time//  
  
//Give me the chance to live my life one more time...// [1]  
  
***  
  
  
  
[1]'One More Time' by Flaw. I just thought that song suited this fic so perfectly when I heard it while writing this chapter. So I put it in there for a bit of a dramatic effect. ^^ (A very good band too, by the way, if anyone likes good hard rock, go find Flaw's 'Through The Eyes'. Very, very awesome CD. *nod nod*) 


	7. Sleepless and Highly Caffeinated Musings...

Sleepless and Highly Caffeinated Musings  
  
***  
  
In response to some puzzled readers, have no fear! For this fic is no where near through yet! Buwaha! But for the moment, as I am working on the next drama-filled chapter, you must put up with more insanity from inside the depths of my morbid mind. This go round though, there's been a deadly mix of too much sugar and caffeine with all those sleepless nights...  
  
-You-. -Have-. -Been-. -Warned-.  
  
***  
  
DVG: *singing loudly* I've got a lovely bunch of coconuts...deedle-y deedle- y doo- Holy shit...  
  
[Heero is seen hurtling past in what suspiciously look like a red silk man- thong and black fishnets, laughing maniacally]  
  
DVG: *blink blink* ...nani?  
  
[Duo, clad in a tight-as-hell black leather dominatrix outfit and long chestnut hair unraveled, soon follows with a whip in hand]  
  
Duo: *cracks whip* Damn it Heero! Slow down! You know I can't run fast in this!  
  
Heero: *reappears and is definitely in a red silk man-thong and black fishnets* All you have to do is ask...  
  
DVG: *searches for drool bucket*  
  
Duo: *purrs* Care to help a lover in need?  
  
[Wufei's voice floats over the dangerously drool-worthy sexy bishounen scene]  
  
Wufei: Hurry up you two! The bed's getting cold!  
  
[The two sexy Gundam pilots scamper out of view and the sound of zippers and the removing of tight leather clothing is heard, amid a few other suggestive noises...The view slowly turning in the direction of the sounds...Then...The author is snapped back to reality]  
  
Duo: Damn, you had to wake up right at the good part. *pouts*  
  
DVG: *grumbles* Well if the two bakas over there would stop interrupting...  
  
[Heero and Wufei are lost in a pile of countless numbers of bloodied Kleenex and whimpering]  
  
Heero: *deer in the headlights look* A man-thong and fishnets...*though secretly, since hidden by the enormous mount of tissues, he leans over to Wufei and whispers* How does she do it? How does she know so much about us?  
  
Wufei: *sigh* Duo must be videotaping us -again-...We've got to keep our eye on him tonight.  
  
Heero: *nod nod* Hai...Can't let the author let any more information about us leak through her 'Sleepless Musings'.  
  
Wufei: Shall we kill her now or later?  
  
Heero: We can't, she's the author. It's inconceivable. Inconceivable! Damn it, what the hell kind of word is that anyway? 'Inconceivable'.  
  
Duo: You've been watching 'The Princess Bride' again, haven't you DVG? That annoying little guy must've said 'inconceivable' like a million times in one sentence.  
  
DVG: Yeah...I only watched it once though. I had just finished the new extended Lord Of The Rings movie for like the trillionth time...in a row...so I had to mix things up a bit before returning my worshipping gaze to the sexiest Elf alive. *rummages around* Now where's my damn drool bucket- Ah here it is...LEGOLAS!!!!!! *DROOL* It's gotta be the elf. Only a true man can parade around in tights. Of course, they coulda made his shirt a tad shorter...then I coulda got a good view of his-  
  
Duo: *knows where that statement was heading* O.O!! There could be little eyes reading this! They don't need to be corrupted by the twisted ways of your mind!  
  
DVG: Well, it's too late for that. If they've already gotten -this- far into this part of 'Sleepless Musings', then yeah, it's too late for that.  
  
Duo: *sigh* True...You do have a point.  
  
DVG: So can I say it now?  
  
Duo: Might as well.  
  
DVG: -package! Orlando Bloom...*dreamy eyes* If you're reading this Orlando- I LOVE YOU!!!!  
  
Duo: I thought you loved -me-! *Chibi-Eyed Pout*  
  
DVG: Oh I do, duncha worry Duo-channerz. *snuggles* He's just a real life person though, and unless I meet a real life Duo then he'll do just fine. That, and I'm having so much fun with you and Heero and Wufei that I just let them do all the dirty work. *evil grin* It's almost time now, isn't it?  
  
Duo: *checks watch* Oh yeah...  
  
[As if on cue, Wufei's voice calls Duo and there's a whip crack]  
  
Duo: *winks* I told Wufei he could be the dominate one this time. *races off*  
  
DVG: ^_______________^  
  
***  
  
End 'Sleepless and Highly Caffeinated Musings'  
  
(I'm like this all the time, so get used to it, besides, this was only the tip of the hentai/yaoi ecchiness that goes on in my head...^^) 


	8. Chapter 5

Some replies to reviewers!  
  
Shella: Haha!! Another Legolas lover!! Sugoi! We can share, can't we? *Chibi eyes* Onegai? And I LOVE that website!!! OMG! I went to it after reading your review and laughed my ass off. That site kicks! *dubs Shella the coolest reviewer-person ever*  
  
Hellcat: Gomen nasai if you find my 'Sleepless Musings' disappointing, but I do specifically say in the beginning that they're for pure entertainment value whilst I'm writing the next chapter, which usually means you'll be seeing the next 'real' chapter within the next 24-hour time span. Like now. I'm glad you're liking the story so far though!  
  
Dark Peppermint: Arigatou! And here is the next part just for your kawaii pout! And they say pouting doesn't affect anything...^^  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Gundam Wing. Damn. Wish I did though.  
  
Warnings:...The same as always!! Oh and I give Heero a little sense of humor. ^^ And anyone who can guess the scene where you can tell where I've been watching too many Sailor Stars' episodes, then you get...er...something!! I'll think of it...  
  
  
  
On with the show!!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
The two boys leaned in each other's comforting embrace for a while, not caring if anyone else were to see them, and Heero finally calmed and recomposed himself, wiping his tear-stained face with the back of his hands. He looked awkwardly into Duo's kind amethyst eyes, feeling embarrassed and going slightly pink.  
  
"I- I'm sorry."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Looks like you've been needing to do that for a long time," Duo smiled warmly. "My offer still stands, if you want."  
  
Heero's expression went doubtful. "I don't know..."  
  
"Listen, we all have our bad moments, Heero. We've all had times were we didn't know what laid ahead for us or we wanted to go out and fight an enemy that wasn't even there after the wars," he said seriously, holding his gaze steady to keep him from breaking away and making excuses. "But -that's- what we're here for. For each other. Whenever one of us has a moment, all we do is pick of the phone or open a vid-com link and chat, to ease the pain. We're each other's props that give us the will to go on with life. To see familiar faces and talking to friends helps, Heero. Shutting yourself off from the world doesn't. So don't try the 'I don't think I can do it' bullshit with me. If we can make it, you can. I'm here for you, buddy. All the guys are."  
  
Heero was silent, though he seemed to be mulling over the earnest speech.  
  
"C'mon, I've gotta bunch of leave days, we can go crash at Quatre's for a bit and see everyone!" Duo continued persuasively. "Get caught up and all. I can even get you a job with Howard and me in the Sweepers or talk to Wufei and Sally about joining the Preventers, if you want. Please, Heero?"  
  
Heero was moved by the pleading look on his face; the faltering hope that was like the only lifeline he had left to grasp onto mingled with the fear of being rejected and left alone again.  
  
"Do I have a choice? You found me."  
  
"Of course..." Duo nodded slowly. "I mean, if you -really- still don't feel comfortable, I won't stop you if you decide to vanish again, I swear." The hollowness in his affirmation gave away how he truly felt though and it hurt to see the false brightness he was trying to maintain to cover the anguish.  
  
"I guess it wouldn't kill me to try..." Heero relented uncertainly and Duo broke into the first genuinely happy grin he had seen since they had encountered each other, throwing his arms around him once more.  
  
"You won't regret it, I promise!" he avowed resolutely as he pulled away, positively beaming.  
  
Heero's qualms dissolved.  
  
The door the bar swung open wildly and the gang of overall-clad guys Duo had initially arrived with came staggering out, roaring loudly and ruining the close moment between the two boys.  
  
"YO! There you are Maxwell! C'mon, we've got the noon shift, so we've gotta get back and sleep tonight off!" someone called.  
  
"Go on ahead! I'll catch up in a sec!" Duo yelled in response and they went off. "Not gonna go at noon anyways," he added and turned to Heero. "You're not going back to that -hellhole- they try to pass as an apartment. Unless there's something you want, you're coming with me and you can bunk up in my room, I can never keep a roommate." He sighed heavily. "No matter how many times I've said it, and proven it, and how many Howard has, they're still intimidated of 'Shinigami' the Gundam pilot."  
  
"They didn't seem to mind in the bar, from what I saw," Heero observed.  
  
"Yeah, but that's because we're in public and I wouldn't -dare- do anything in public," Duo replied sarcastically. "When it's just us, they never turn their backs to me or let me out of their sight. I wasn't kidding when I told you I knew how it felt."  
  
"No."  
  
"What?"  
  
"No," Heero repeated. "There isn't anything in the apartment I want to return to get."  
  
Duo smiled again and they started for the barracks together.  
  
***  
  
Howard was still in Duo's room when the two boys entered. He had had a hunch and had waited until Duo came back, the hunch fully confirmed.  
  
"What are you doing in here, Howard?" Duo asked, blinking.  
  
"Making sure you hadn't lost your mind." He answered simply, his sunglasses covered gaze looking at Heero. "Which you didn't. It's been a while Heero."  
  
"I know."  
  
Howard got up from the spare bed and prepared to leave. "Don't go running off a second time, got it? I don't want to be the one who has to pick up all the pieces again afterwards."  
  
Duo flushed darkly as Heero looked at him when the last of Howard's obnoxious Hawaiian shirt had gone out the door.  
  
"Need I ask about what he was referring to?"  
  
"Er...Well, just think of tonight," Duo replied sheepishly, abruptly taking a keen interest of the ceiling. "And make it a bit more emotional."  
  
"..."  
  
"Yeah..." he trailed off waveringly. "It was a little more than a year ago though, so it's nothing to worry about." Duo added hastily, still staring up at the ceiling.  
  
Heero couldn't picture the happy-go-lucky American losing all control like he had earlier, even with everything he'd seen and done that night, he just couldn't.  
  
"Why didn't you kill me then?" he asked quietly. "If I caused so much pain for you, why? All I am is a reminder of all the suffering you went through, so why didn't you end it tonight?"  
  
Duo was so thunderstruck that his gaze came back to Heero. "Haven't you figured that out by now? I can't say I didn't want to...when I saw you...it had been so long- but I knew I wouldn't have been able to go through with it. It wouldn't have alleviated the pain, it could only made it worse than before to know that I had found you alive, but I had been your death in the end. It would've been the death of -me-. I've lost enough important people in my life as it is, and I don't want to lose another."  
  
"Duo..." Heero began but he shook his head forcibly.  
  
"Why am I babbling, eh? It's gotta be four in the morning and here I am getting all sentimental and teary eyed," Duo said hurriedly, turning away.  
  
Heero grabbed his wrist and stopped him, making him turn reluctantly back. "Duo, don't you go starting that 'bullshit' with me, you listened to me, so now I'm here for you. I can tell you're keeping -something- from me. So just let it out."  
  
Duo's expression was still unsure. "Really?"  
  
"Hai, anything. If you can top my breakdown, then -I- will be the one who calls Quatre to inform him of our arrival." Heero said encouragingly, thinking there was no way the braided boy could best it.  
  
Duo suddenly pulled him forward and kissed him.  
  
He -definitely- had thought wrong.  
  
That certainly took the cake, but by no means was Heero making an effort to detach himself in the slightest.  
  
*** 


	9. Chapter 6

Woohoo! Guess who went on a writing spree today! ^^;;; You all get another chapter fresh off the press! Er- out of Microsoft Word, but yeah! You all know what I mean...  
  
Thanks once again to allllll my faithful reviewers!! I luff you guys! ^^  
  
Disclaimer: I STILL don't own anything related to Gundam Wing- damn! Ah well, one can dream, can't she?  
  
Warning: Drool-worthy sexy bishounen scene. *hands out drool buckets* Other than that, the usual crap. Oh! And OBVIOUS 3x4 insinuations. ^^  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
At 12 o'clock the next morning, one of the Sweepers came to drag Duo out of bed for work, though when he got to his room there was a piece of paper taped to the door with 'DO NOT DISTURB' scrawled on it in black ink. Not wanting to tempt death, he took heed of the warning and continued on.  
  
But Howard, on the other hand, pretended to be totally oblivious to the blatant sign and barged right in a few minutes after the Sweeper had left, only to meet a very compromising scene. He wished he had a camera with him, it was a great blackmail-worthy picture.  
  
Amidst a tangle of blankets, Duo was curled up against Heero's bare chest, his arms wrapped somewhere down around his waist and looking quite content. Heero's face was nuzzled atop the other boy's head, his right entwined with long chestnut hair as if he had fallen asleep combing it with his fingers. (who -wouldn't- want a picture of that?!)  
  
Howard put Duo's leave papers on the desk beside the threshold and cleared his throat loudly.  
  
Heero stirred and squinted up blearily, "...Howard?"  
  
"Didn't mean to interrupt, just brought Duo's stuff. You two have fun now," he winked and quickly slipped out into the hall again, shutting the door behind him.  
  
It took a second for what he said to register in Heero's sleep befuddled mind, then he realized where he was and knew -exactly- what Howard meant. Heero groaned, not about getting caught with Duo, he didn't mind that at all, but the fact that he was the one who had to call Quatre.  
  
'Damn...'  
  
Heero began to stroke Duo's hair once more. "Duo...Come on, time to get up."  
  
"Do we have to?" he pouted, yawning and snuggling in closer.  
  
"Hai..." Heero kissed his forehead. "Besides, Howard's already been in here and if we aren't up, he's liable to come back in here again."  
  
Duo muttered something that distinctly sounded like 'pervert' into his shoulder then disentangled himself from the bed and started pulling on his clothes along with Heero.  
  
"So where's the communications computers in this place?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I told you I would contact Quatre if you could beat me, didn't I?"  
  
"So are you admitting that I beat you?" Duo grinned slyly, beginning to braid his hair.  
  
"Hai, but in a good way."  
  
"Of course, look who you're talking to! It's at the end of the hall, can't miss it."  
  
Heero went out into the corridor after making sure it was empty. The room Duo had spoken of was like a bachelor pad version of a living room, there was a large overstuffed couch and a few assorted armchairs scattered about, a pool table, some old video arcade machines, a big screen TV and a full surround sound system. The computers he was looking for were tucked away in a side area, partially walled off from the rest of the room for privacy purposes and to cut out the some of noise if there were other people.  
  
Heero hesitated for a moment, his fingertips hovering over the keyboard.  
  
This was going to be -really- awkward.  
  
He took a deep breath and entered the link codes. Waiting for his connection to be accepted, Heero heard the rec room door open and Duo joined him as Quatre's face appeared on the screen.  
  
Upon seeing who it was, he was shocked.  
  
"Heero?" Quatre asked incredulously.  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Q-man! How's it going?" Duo piped up cheerfully, propping his chin on Heero's shoulder and waving at the astonished Neo- Arabian.  
  
"F-fine, just a little..."  
  
"Stunned?"  
  
"That's one word for it." He blinked.  
  
"Duo finally caught me."  
  
"Yep! Totally by accident too, to tell you the truth. But that's all right," he grinned broadly. "Ne, Heero?"  
  
Quatre's expression transcended from dumbfounded to glad; it seemed like forever since he had last seen the braided boy so happy, and there was a significant difference in Heero's attitude too. It wasn't like before when it felt as if you were staring into a statue made out of ice, the ice was melting now and the true figure was emerging.  
  
"Have you heard from Wufei recently? I wanna get everyone together, like a big family reunion kinda thing, you know?" Duo went on buoyantly. "I thought since it's been forever since we last did- it was Christmas, wasn't it?- so this would be like a nice surprise for everyone!"  
  
"That sounds like an excellent idea, and yes I have heard from Wufei, he called the other day as a matter of fact, with the same proposition. It seems he also has a 'surprise' for us."  
  
"Really...coming from him...that scares me."  
  
"No kidding." Heero muttered. Duo and Quatre both looked at him and blinked but he merely smirked.  
  
"Well...anyways, you can all come here. I was actually going to call you later today, Duo, and see if you could take time off, but it seems like I don't have to now, do I?" Quatre smiled pleasantly. "He's coming in tomorrow and bringing his 'surprise' with him, do you think you two would be able to make it by then?"  
  
"Oh yeah, I've already got my leave days cleared, we can hop the next shuttle out to L4," said Duo, trying to nod with his chin still on Heero's shoulder.  
  
"Great, then we'll see you two tonight." The blonde boy's face disappeared as the connection was cut.  
  
"I wonder what Wufei's 'surprise' is?" Heero asked uneasily.  
  
"I dunno, but do we really want to know?"  
  
***  
  
A few hours later, the two were on a shuttle to L4. They got to Quatre's sprawling estate that evening and found him and Trowa waiting for them outside the front door.  
  
As soon as Heero climbed out of the taxi, or more rather Duo dragged him out of the taxi before he had a chance to climb out himself, Quatre ran down and hugged the tall Japanese boy. Like Duo, he hadn't grown much since he had seen him last and only came up to the bridge of his nose. Quatre automatically began fussing over Heero in a very maternal fashion.  
  
"Don't you ever go off on us like that again, got it? I will personally hunt you down next time and haul you back." he said sternly. "Allah, you're too thin, when's the last time you had a decent meal, Heero? I'm taking you in right now to the kitchens and we're going to get you something..."  
  
Duo chuckled as Heero was steered inside the mansion and stood with Trowa in the doorway, watching them disappear into one of the side hallways. "Don't be too hard on him now Q-man!"  
  
"So where did you find him?" Trowa asked mildly as they went in.  
  
"L1, I was just almost ready to give up on him too and he suddenly pops up out of nowhere," Duo answered, gesturing to the corridor Quatre had lugged him off to.  
  
"Life's funny like that." Trowa shrugged, but looked down at him sincerely. "It's good to see you happy again, I mean it. For a while there, we all were really worried about you."  
  
"Yeah..." Duo trailed off somberly for a moment. "It took a lot of convincing though, to coax him out of hiding...A lot of-" His eyes darkened, but he quickly shook it off and grinned up at him again. "I got him out though, that's all that matters. So any clue about what Wufei's little surprise is?"  
  
Trowa paused; there was clearly a large amount to the story that Duo wasn't caring to divulge to them, which was probably for the better, so he didn't press the issue. "No, Quatre's been trying his hardest to pry it out of him, but he's keeping it all under wraps."  
  
Duo sighed melodramatically. "Damn. Typical. I wanted at least -some- forewarning, but I guess we aren't gonna get that are we?"  
  
"No, we're not. Even I'm curious. The way he said it was both irritated and exuberant, so there's no clue as to what he's talking about." Trowa shrugged again as they went into one of the nearby living rooms off the spacious corridor.  
  
"So what about you and the Q-man, eh?" Duo nudged him insinuatingly in the ribs. "How're things going with you two?"  
  
He cleared his throat uneasily and Duo started laughing as he saw a crimson tinge spread across Trowa's face underneath his unibang.  
  
"What's so funny?"  
  
Heero had finally gotten Quatre off his back and the two had come into the room.  
  
"Ah, nothing. Seeing how you're still in one piece, I take it Quatre didn't tear into you too bad," Duo tactfully changed the subject.  
  
Quatre smirked; Trowa was having troubles getting rid of the bright flush and he was able to guess what they had been discussing. "No, I left him in one piece. Didn't want to hurt him too bad, it might put a bit of a damper later on tonight, wouldn't it Duo?"  
  
"Touché."  
  
Heero's jaw dropped and it was Duo's turn to go scarlet.  
  
"But- how did you - That's low!" he spluttered.  
  
Quatre only smiled innocently.  
  
'Well, this is certainly going to be an interesting reunion...' Heero thought dazedly.  
  
***  
  
  
  
Anyone care to guess what Wufei's little 'surprise' is? ^^ Betcha can't guess. 


	10. Chapter 7

*dies laughing as she reads reviews* A pregnant Wufei!!!!!! Ahahahaha!! I love that!!!! And no Relena.*shudder* Her and her little pink dildo-mobile can stay faaaaar away from my purty bishies! Ooo...Wufei with Zechs...Interesting...Dorothy is just- Gah. X.X  
  
WVF: Here's a Deathscythe cookie from Duo, an Omae wo kuruso candy from Heero, a Sandrock sandwich from Quatre, an injustice Katana from Wufei or a free pass to the circus from Trowa!!  
  
Shella the coolest reviewer-person ever: AI!!! I know what fic you're talking about!!!! That Gundam Wing Parody From Hell!!! Trieze and his little 'Dragon Boy'!!!! Ahahaha!! That would've been funny, seeing Wufei bring Trieze into Quatre's house...*falls over laughing* Be prepared to melt into a cute lil fangirl puddle, Shella.  
  
But yes!! You've guessed the obvious...But wait until you read how it played out!!! *evil cackle* I am so cruel sometimes...  
  
[Wufei: Why do you torture me this way?!? *sniffles cutely*  
  
DVG: You plotted to kill me. So I'm getting revenge in this chapter by embarrassing the hell out of you.  
  
Wufei: But Heero was too!!!  
  
DVG: Oh don't worry, he'll be getting his comeuppance too...Just you wait my pretty...*Wicked Witch of the West cackle*  
  
Wufei and Heero: *scared*]  
  
Disclaimer: I STILL DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING!!! Damn.  
  
Warning: My sick twisted sense of humor coming into play. You've been warned. Buwaha. And of course, the usual. Except no angst. Well, a -tiny- bit. But yeah...  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
At two the next afternoon, a one of the countless numbers of butlers came into the drawing room where three of the four ex- pilots were lounging, announcing the arrival of Wufei and his guest. Quatre stood up with a sprightly smile as the Chinese boy came in...with Sally Po at his side.  
  
"WU-MAN!" Duo tackled him with the biggest grin imaginable on his face. "Hey Sally."  
  
Wufei glanced bewilderedly over at Quatre and Trowa, both whom simply shrugged. "You're looking extremely happy."  
  
If possible, his grin went wider. "If you only knew...Hold on a sec before you go breaking you're big news- I gotta go drag mine down here." Duo flitted off into the hallway without another word.  
  
"What's with him?" Sally asked quizzically.  
  
"What does he have to 'drag down here'?" Wufei added, still clearly confused. He had nearly forgotten how chaotic it was when Duo was in a good mood, something he hadn't been in for a while.  
  
"You'll see." Trowa replied vaguely.  
  
Soon there were the sounds of something -literally- being towed through the corridor outside the parlor.  
  
"-C'mon now, I let you sleep in until Fei got here- so get your bony ass moving-" Duo's voice filtered into the room and he came walking in backwards, latched onto one of Heero's arms and pulling the Japanese boy along. He definitely appeared as if he had just been hauled out of bed, plainly still half-asleep and his usually unruly hair was a total mess, his lukewarm attempts at tidying it with his free hand futile. Heero was also only in a rumpled pair of faded blue jeans and it hadn't seemed to dawn upon him yet that he had left his green tank top on the plush carpet upstairs in his and Duo's room.  
  
Sally and Wufei looked torn between amusement at the sight of the completely oblivious partially nude bishounen and being utterly flabbergasted at the highly unexpected reappearance of the formerly missing Heero.  
  
"Now you see."  
  
"Yes, that we -do-..." Sally smirked.  
  
"Oops...Heero, you forgot to grab your shirt," Duo said, not sounding the least apologetic.  
  
"N-nani?!" He went red and quickly hurried out.  
  
"Well- umm- that was certainly interesting..." Wufei blinked. "It explains why you're so cheerful today Duo. Not complaining though. How long has Yuy been back?"  
  
"About two days," he answered distractedly, watching the doorway.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. L1," Duo replied to Wufei's next question without him having to say it.  
  
"I thought you had already searched there," Sally noted.  
  
"I did. Never thought to go searching in a seedy street-side bar though. It happened entirely on accident..."  
  
There was a profound silence at the new little piece of information Duo allowed out, but before he could continue, the person being discussed returned, fully clothed this time.  
  
"So what's this surprise of yours Wufei?" Heero asked warily as all the eyes went to him.  
  
Sally cleared her throat exaggeratedly, drawing the attention to them. "We're engaged." She smiled slyly.  
  
"It was an injustice." Wufei grumbled and earned himself a punch in the arm.  
  
"You don't seem to be trying too hard to get out of it." Sally responded amusedly.  
  
"I- still! It was a totally absurd!" he retorted.  
  
"Well, to be truthful, he -was- drunk."  
  
"You spiked my drink, onna! I know you did!"  
  
"I have no idea what you're talking about Wufei. Spike your drink, honestly..." Her virtuous smile fooled none of them, there was a wicked gleam in her blue eyes. "Everyone in the shop got quite an eyeful. We were at a party playing poker and he got right up on the table in the middle of the game and proposed."  
  
Duo was hovering dangerously close to bursting out laughing at the comical confrontation. So was Trowa, but he at least tried harder to hide the fact by disguising it with a short cough.  
  
"You spiked my drink!" Wufei sputtered indignantly. "I was not in my right mind then!"  
  
"It was really sweet...In a morbid kind of way of course..." Sally went on, choosing to ignore him. "Even if he was inebriated..."  
  
Wufei gave up trying to salvage some dignity. It was open territory now. "At least -I- wasn't the one who fainted afterwards."  
  
"I may have went first, but you followed right behind me! See that cute little scar there-" Sally indicated a faint mark above his temple. "-Fell dead off the table and landed on his thick skull. And he still gets picked on for it, don't you Agent Drunken Dragon?"  
  
Duo was laughing uncontrollably by then, slumped against Heero to keep from dropping to the floor. Trowa and Quatre were still managing to stay neutral, though barely.  
  
"Er- Congratulations?" Quatre offered tentatively, quite frankly baffled.  
  
Wufei opened his mouth to reply scathingly, but Sally leaned over and purred something in his ear and he snapped it shut, instantly turning a brilliant shade of crimson. That did it for Trowa, who let out a loud snort and started chuckling.  
  
"Ahaha- Well- Whew-" Duo wheezed, wiping tears from his eyes and breathing deeply. "- Congratulations! She's got you whipped big time, Wu-man. I'm impressed, Sally. How'd you crack Mr. Justice and Morality?"  
  
He glared at the snickering braided ex-pilot, but it was nowhere near alarming with a face that looked like a sheltered Catholic schoolboy's after just seeing a porno magazine for the first time. Sally smiled mischievously. "All I have to do is threaten not to- "  
  
"ONNA! Don't. You. Dare..."  
  
Wufei would have made a tomato proud with the extent of redness his blush had achieved.  
  
***  
  
Dinner that night was certainly an entertaining affair. It's said that the more people seemed to hate each other, the more in love they actually were, and if that were true, then Sally and Wufei were the happiest couple in the world.  
  
He had taken her near revelation of his weakness as a personal blow to his pride and the two were constantly throwing out little tidbits of interesting, that the others -really- didn't need to hear, things about each other. If there was a book called '101 Things You Can Do With Whipped Cream, Chocolate, and Strawberries When Not Consuming Them In A Normal Fashion', those two were the authors. Which made Wufei's weakness blatantly obvious, if only Duo had known how right he was in saying he was whipped (take that how you want you hentai). Quatre kept a mental note to not let the two near the kitchens and to tell the staff not to accept bribes for those, and certain other items, to be attainable for the Asian couple. Just for the pure fun of watching them suffer withdrawal.  
  
Yes, folks, he really truly is deliciously evil behind all that sugary sweetness and those gorgeous aquamarine eyes. Not that a particular unibanged boy protested though.  
  
Duo and Heero were trying their hardest to not picture the images Wufei and Sally were painting in their minds, well, at least -Heero- was anyway, Duo was replacing the other two with himself and his newly found koibito instead in the risqué images.  
  
"So, Duo, how are you doing with the Sweepers?" Quatre asked, taking the opportunity of Sally jumping into Wufei's lap and clamping her hands over his mouth to keep him from revealing something that involved her and gratuitous uses of a new suggestive object yet unsaid because of her silencing him, changing the subject.  
  
Snapped out of his yaoi-filled reverie, Duo blinked for a second. "Oh- great. I hope they get those ships fixed before I go back, or I'll be the one stuck with filling out all the paperwork," he mock grimaced.  
  
"I could help with that if you have to," Heero said casually.  
  
Duo glanced at him hopefully.  
  
"Are you joining them then?" Trowa asked delicately, they all were wishing for the affirmative, it would at least be harder to 'disappear' again if he did.  
  
"Hn."  
  
Unseen by the other four though, Heero had taken Duo's hand under the table into his and squeezed it reassuringly.  
  
*** 


	11. Chapter 8 The End

Gomen nasai for the delay minna-san! In my loyalty to my reviewers, I had been slacking on my homework to write, so I've been spending the past couple of days working my ass off on projects that were due. ^^;;; So please forgive the delay! I'm back and have the FINAL chapter to this lovely little fic.  
  
Thanks to allllllll my reviewers!!! I love you guys!!! Keep you eyes out for another GW fic coming up soon. ^^  
  
Disclaimer: I WILL OWN GUNDAM WING ONE DAY!!! Just you wait!!!! I will!!! But for now...I don't.  
  
Damn.  
  
Warning: The usual. Of course. The author's sick humor coming into play once more and many extremely 'Awwwww...' worthy moments. And...*dun dun dun* THE END OF THE FIC! Noooooo!!  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
After dinner ended, Sally and Wufei immediately disappeared to their room to do only God knows what with the 'excuse' of Wufei having a 'headache' from 'the onna's babble' (Insert any bad hentai thoughts here and you will know exactly what I'm implying). They thought best not to mention how they unmistakably saw him latch himself on 'the onna' before getting out of sight in the hallway. It was never good to aggravate the Justice Boy when he was about to get into a -very- happy mood.  
  
Death by katana was sure to follow.  
  
Excusing themselves, Duo and Heero went out into the hall after the Chinese pair had fully gone out of view.  
  
"Wufei was the last person I ever thought would do those sort of...things..." Heero commented wryly. "And with Sally, too-"  
  
"Oh please don't finish that remark Heero!" Duo moaned, putting his hands over his eyes as if it would block out the mental images. "I don't think I'll ever be able to eat dessert again!"  
  
"Unless it was on me."  
  
"N-NANI?!" he exclaimed, nearly tripping over his feet and falling.  
  
"I said I highly doubt it," the corners of Heero's lips quirked. "Knowing you and your bottomless pit stomach, by tomorrow you will think nothing of those two and their lecherous acts."  
  
"You did not say that! I know it!" Duo decided that he didn't hear the jest on his eating habits. "You said, 'Unless it was on me'!"  
  
"The whimsical expression on your face during their revelations gave you entirely away," Heero replied nonchalantly. "Who -couldn't- figure out what you were daydreaming about?"  
  
"AH! So you're admitting you said it!"  
  
"Of course not, I was merely stating the obvious."  
  
"Fine, plead the fifth, I see how it is." Duo snorted irritably, folding his arms across his chest with a huff. "I know what I heard."  
  
"So what if I did say that?" Heero smirked, shooting him a sidelong glance.  
  
"What if I don't want to tell you," he smiled slyly, uncrossing his arms.  
  
"Then don't..." They had reached the landing to their room. Duo looked confused at the negative reply, until Heero continued, opening the door and taking the slender boy in his arms. "...show me..." He bent his head down and kissed him.  
  
The two slipped into the bedroom silently.  
  
***  
  
Chaos ensued the Winner mansion while the four stayed with Quatre and Trowa.  
  
Quatre's delightfully wicked plan of cutting off any and all potentially sexual associated items from Sally and Wufei worked like a charm within the first day after their arrival.  
  
Despite the bang-up night they may have had without the added bonuses, the Asian couple came into the parlor appearing extremely repressed and fidgety. Especially at finding the others already up waiting for them, even Duo, who seemed quite cozy snuggled up to Heero on the large black leather couch and watching a movie. Because of the television distraction, they hadn't noticed the arrival of Sally and Wufei and weren't scrambling to cover up their closeness.  
  
Quatre was curled in a chair beside the tea tray on the left side of the couch and reading a business proposal while Trowa was in a matching black leather armchair on the left side of him, watching the movie with Duo and Heero.  
  
Upon seeing the little 'snack' plate set out with the tea (luscious ripe strawberries thickly coated in chocolate and topped with a dab of whipped cream) on the tray, the late-comers let out simultaneous groans that only made their sexual frustration even more obvious.  
  
Blue eyes met onyx, mingled with both desire and torture, and came to the same, dreadful conclusion. Sally and Wufei glared menacingly at Quatre as they took the loveseat across from him, but he just gazed up from the paperwork and smiled sweetly across to them.  
  
Confirming their worst fears.  
  
'Blondes are evil,' Wufei concluded in his mind, turning his glower to the pair on the couch. Duo and Heero still hadn't acknowledged their arrival, or if they had, they didn't care anymore if anyone saw them together. More than likely the latter, because Heero glanced over at Sally and Wufei and did nothing to disentangle himself from his braided koibito.  
  
"No injustice ranting today, Wufei?" Trowa greeted wryly. "Or did you use up all of your 'injustice' yesterday?"  
  
"More like last night after they went to bed." Duo snickered quietly, but he was heard.  
  
"Maxwell..." he began threateningly.  
  
Heero shot him a death glare, daring him to do something, and the Chinese boy shut up.  
  
"Certainly seems like it's all back to normal, eh Quatre?" Trowa smirked.  
  
"Yes it does. Whether or not that's a good thing is a whole other subject." The blonde smiled back.  
  
At dinner, Sally's newest revelation: Wufei's fetish of when she wears tight leather clothes.  
  
And has a whip.  
  
***  
  
"Heero?"  
  
Duo sat up in the large, queen-sized four poster bed later on that night, looking around the pitch-black room anxiously. The chilly air sending goosebumps down his back had woken up, and he discovered the reason why. The spot where Heero had been laying and keeping him warm when they went to sleep was empty. It was cool and appeared almost untouched, so he had been gone for a while before Duo had woken up.  
  
Duo scrambled hastily out of bed and pulled on his shirt and pants haphazardly, not even bothering with his unraveled hair. He went out into the corridor, his amethyst eyes searching every shadow veiled nook and cranny, feeling somewhat afraid. Millions of butterflies fluttered in his chest again like they had when he ran into Heero in front of the bar before he broke down.  
  
'Why does there have to be so many damn rooms in this damn mansion?' Duo thought absently after checking the parlor where they had been earlier that day with the others.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"Maxwell? What are you doing up this late at night?" Wufei inquired, having come from the hall to the west wing, where his and Sally's room was, as Duo brushed past.  
  
"I- umm- water." He lied lamely.  
  
"That's what the pitchers in the bedroom are for," Wufei pointed out, seeing through the fib. "Well what are -you- down here for? If it has anything to do with chocolate and whipped cream, then forget I asked."  
  
"Actually, the opposite, trying to get -away- from Sally and her griping about Quatre's cruel joke."  
  
"Q-man? Cruel?" Duo raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Oh yeah, we can't get within twenty feet of the kitchen, and the staff aren't accepting bribes," Wufei snorted. "Always knew Winner had a mean streak, but this..." He shook his head.  
  
"That's just peachy, now if you excuse me, I've gotta keep looking," Duo said impatiently, his uneasiness growing. He continued on, but Wufei followed beside him.  
  
"What are you looking for?"  
  
He bit his lip and hesitated. "Heero. I mean- he can't've just run off again- not now- I just woke up and he wasn't there so I panicked and automatically jumped to the worst conclusion-"  
  
"Duo, calm down. Take a deep breath. I'm sure he didn't leave," Wufei assured, his expression softening. "I saw the way he acted towards you today, it wasn't the way a person would if they were planning on running away. I promise you. He truly cares about you Duo."  
  
"Really?" he asked hopefully.  
  
"Yes, of course. I wouldn't lie to you," Wufei relaxed into a smile.  
  
"Now I wouldn't go -that- far..." Duo replied amusedly.  
  
"Don't you get started! Here I am trying to be nice, and what do I get in return? Sarcasm!"  
  
"Thank Wufei."  
  
"That's better."  
  
"Hey!-" he puffed up indignantly.  
  
"I was only kidding. You're welcome Duo." They had come to the large glass doors that led into the gardens. Looking out, Wufei jabbed a thumb over. "Well there you go, I told you I was sure Heero didn't leave."  
  
Duo saw him laying out on one of the benches in the rose garden, his head upturned to the sky and staring at the stars.  
  
"See you two the morning," Wufei sighed. "I've done my good deed for the month, so I have to go and face the Dragon Woman now." He grimaced.  
  
"Don't worry, tell Sally I said to play nice," Duo winked. Wufei chuckled and started heading back down the hall as he slid open one of the glass doors and went outside.  
  
"Heero?"  
  
Duo made his way cautiously over to the bench Heero was lying on; he didn't want to intrude if he wanted to be alone.  
  
Heero glanced over and sat up. "What's wrong Duo? You seem upset."  
  
"What? Oh no, I was just wondering where you had went," he covered quickly.  
  
"You were afraid that I had left again." He swung his legs off the bench to so Duo could sit with him.  
  
"Uh- well..." he went red in embarrassment.  
  
"It's fine, you had every right to think so. I probably would have too, if I were you." Heero admitted. "I haven't exactly been very supportive."  
  
Duo looked at him. "No, you have. I was just stupid enough to think the worst."  
  
"You're not stupid," he said firmly, reaching out and combing the loose silken strands of chestnut hair with his fingers. "You're amazing, I'm just sorry it took this long for me to realize that, or I would not have hurt you like I had by running away. It won't happen again."  
  
"I still don't want you to feel like you're being forced into doing anything," Duo insisted, visibly unwinding under his touch.  
  
"I don't. I'm perfectly willing to do whatever it takes to be able to fit into this new peaceful world," Heero replied quietly. "I've made many mistakes in my life and I want to find solace by doing things right with this second chance I have been allowed to have. I did nothing to deserve this and I don't know what greater power graced me with this second chance, especially with you, but I won't screw it all up again."  
  
There were tears brimming in Duo's amethyst eyes, glittering under the moonlight like beautiful jewels, though they weren't of sadness. "I won't either. I let you get away once, but I'm here now. I'll always be here for you, Heero. Always." He kissed him gently.  
  
"Ai shiteru."  
  
***  
  
  
  
The End  
  
Wufei: You didn't get revenge on Heero. What's with that?! You insist on torturing me but not him!!! This is an injustice!!!  
  
DVG: So I lied. *shrugs* don't worry Fei-chan, there's always the next fic...*dun dun dun*  
  
All: *are very, very scared*  
  
DVG: *evil grin* It'll be a cute little AU fic, I think. I don't know. Something with even more angst.  
  
Duo: All of your fics are getting progressively more angsty and sappy.  
  
DVG: Are you complaining? I set you up with two of the sexiest bishounen and you -complain-? Just for that, we're having a threesome in the next fic. Some 1x2x5 action. Yep.  
  
All: *nosebleed* O,O;;;  
  
^___________________________________^ 


End file.
